FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
We only accept checks. Fees are customized to your project. No project is the same and neither are the requirements from one municipality to another or the different architectural services that you select. Primarily we offer hourly rates or percentage of construction cost. Fees generally range from $680 -$1,200 per day depending on the level of skill and task required. Professional fees based on percentage of total construction cost range from 8-12% of construction cost. For small residential projects and addition our fees are generally $10/SF. Also note that similar or same amount of work process goes into every project and a small project does not have enough mass to absorb the fees of a large project. Geography and demographics dictate construction cost. To help you generally figure out how much your project's construction will cost use the following as a rule of thumb: For suburban residential projects, builder grade starts at $140/ SF of finished living space. It all depends on level of quality fit and finish can be double or triple or more - it all depends on what you wish to afford. Decks range start at $25-$50/ SF depending on materials used. Is it pressure treated lumber or poly-composite? Covered decks $50-100/ SF Garages at $100/ SF
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Initial consultation begins the process. This is where you express your project desires and we field all of it and boil it down so it makes sense.. Essentially architects take amorphic information that you provide from thin air, coalesce it and make it make sense in the creative world of architecture and construction. We then regurgitate it back to you in a logical and sensible plain language in writing and establish a scope of work. After that we discuss the service tasks needed or required for your project. Then provide a written proposal for the services.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Architect Joseph Minuta has personally been in the field of construction, architecture and engineering since 1989. He has physically constructed buildings with his own hands and have performed just about every construction trade skill there is. A graduate of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and Italy he graduated top 10% of his class. That year Pratt was ranked 8th in the world for architecture. He is also NCARB certified and has been ranked among the top 1% of all NCARB registrants. Architect Minuta is personally licensed in 49 US states and Canada and likely the only architect you will ever meet with those license credentials. Unlike many architects, he has a dual certification in NYS codes compliance by the NYS Codes Division with active certification that can be verified on their web site. On average he achieves 24 continuing education credits annually in the categories of health, safety and welfare of the occupants and public, code updates and handicapped accessibility. He is a master a public speaking and presentation. In addition he finds time for philanthropy and service to the community. No one does it alone. You will find the same level of attention to you as our client from the staff at Minuta Architecture.